Month: August 2014

I find it strange that it has already been two years since I received my A-Level results. I remember it being an odd day with mixed emotions. I didn’t know where I wanted to go from there and would have never expected to have a full time job and a head start on my career two years later. I’m now over half-way through my apprenticeship and even though I’m making my way to work every morning while all my friends are lounging around in the sun (currently rain) for three months, I’m happy to say that I do not regret the decision I made.

500,000 places are available in UK universities this year – the highest number to date. It’s great that everyone who wants to go to university can, but the question is, are the 500,000 young people going to be ready for the world of work after three years at university? For most, university is thought to be a ticket to success. But, more and more employers are finding it hard to fill places with graduates who have the necessary skills for the job.

The other day I read that in 2011, a survey by the Young Enterprise charity found that three in four corporate chiefs believed graduate skills were poor. The charity’s chairman said that employers are finding it harder than ever to fill positions because the Department for Education is adopting an alarmingly narrow focus on academic skills and exams. This will mean that fewer students emerge from education with the necessary employability skills.

Having declined my place at university in favour of a Higher Apprenticeship, I see the value of a vocational route over the often blinkered approach of a university course. A full time job working alongside people who have had years of experience has definitely enhanced my employability skills. Slowly but surely I think that more people are starting to see the value of these vocational routes. This week a poll commissioned by British Gas found that 40 per cent of London teenagers said they were considering a vocational route instead of higher education. Understandably, the majority of students are most tempted by the opportunity to “earn while you learn”, but they should also realise how important it is to have practical experience. When my friends finish uni in a couple of years, I will already have had years of experience in my chosen career.

While it is encouraging to see that nearly half of students consider apprenticeships instead of university, there is a still long way to go in promoting the alternatives to students, schools and wider society, especially as universities are offering up so many more places and fighting for students who are willing to offer up £9,000 a year. There is no right or wrong option; everyone should be able to make their own decision about the route they want to take after leaving school. Most people I speak to have had a great time at university and I’m glad that more and more people now have the chance to go… I just hope they are prepared to fight for a job at the end of it.